Posts Tagged ‘Zondervan’

Recently we’ve heard from a few customers who have seen a post on Facebook suggesting that someone is out to corrupt the New International Version (NIV) and English Standard Version (ESV) Bibles, and that they need to act quickly to make sure they archive a copy of the “real” Bible before gays and satanists ruin it. The post usually looks something like this:

PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!!

I’m sure you know that NIV was published by Zondervan but is now OWNED by Harper Collins, who also publishes the Satanic Bible and The Joy of Gay Sex.

The NIV has now removed 64,575 words from the Bible including Jehovah, Calvary, Holy Ghost and omnipotent to name but a few… The NIV and ESV and other versions have also now removed 45 complete verses. Most of us have the Bible on our devices and phones.

Try and find these scriptures in NIV or ESV on your computer, phone or device right now if you are in doubt:

Let’s not forget what the Lord Jesus said in John 10:10 (King James Version)

THE SOLUTION

If you must use the NIV or ESV BUY and KEEP AN EARLIER VERSION OF the BIBLE. A Hard Copy cannot be updated. All these changes occur when they ask you to update the app. On your phone or laptop etc. Buy and KEEP EARLIER VERSIONS AND STORE THEM.

There is a crusade geared towards altering the Bible as we know it; NIV and many more versions are affected.

This is a variation on the claims that newer Bibles remove verses from the “original” (by which they usually mean the King James Version). But in this version of the panic-inducing message, the argument is that the newer versions themselves are being updated, purportedly by the gays and satanists at Harper Collins, to remove verses and change words.

The fact of the matter is that updates have been made to these two Bibles. Ongoing updates are often made by the translators of all modern Bibles to address errors in previous editions, changes in language and usage, and to incorporate a better understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek texts. This is not unusual; even the King James Version was updated for these purposes during the early years of its existence.

With respect to the NIV, Zondervan, and Harper Collins, it’s important to note that the text of the NIV is actually maintained by Biblica, formerly the International Bible Society, a ministry that translates the Bible into dozens of languages and distributes it freely throughout the world. Zondervan is their commercial publishing partner, but Biblica maintains the text, just as they do their other Bibles. So despite the claims of this Facebook post, Harper Collins is not changing the text.

The ESV is an update to the Revised Standard Version (RSV), which itself was a revision of the American Standard Version (ASV). The ASV was an “Americanized” edition of the Revised Version (RV), which was a late-19th-century update to the King James Version. Coincidentally, the ASV was originally published by Thomas Nelson, which today is owned by the same parent company (Harper Collins) that owns Zondervan.

With respect to the complaints about the ESV, given its history one is compelled to question which earlier version the author would have us revert to. This is not made clear. In fact, there is very little clarity in the Facebook post.

We’re frankly disappointed that so many people are sucked in by claims like this. I suppose it could be true that there is a world-wide conspiracy by homosexuals who are in league with satanists to corrupt the Bible. I don’t think the author argues that point very well, if at all, but I suppose it could be possible. I think it’s more likely that an uneducated person who is ignorant of how Bible translation works and of the history of the Bible noticed that both his NIV Bible and his copy of the Joy of Gay Sex were published by Harper Collins and decided everyone on Facebook needed to know about it.

Interested in learning more about the history of the Bible, the original texts and manuscripts from which it is translated, why certain writings are included while others are not, how it is translated, and some information about the various English translations of the Bible over the years? Check out The Origin of the Bible by Dr. Philip Comfort for PocketBible.

This updated volume of the original classic provides a fascinating overview of how the Bible was first inspired, canonized, read as sacred literature, copied in ancient Hebrew and Greek manuscripts, and eventually translated into the languages of the world.
The Origin of the Bible is a comprehensive guide to the origin and development of the Bible text, manuscripts, and canon. This updated edition provides a chapter on recent developments in Bible translation.

An excellent resources for pastors, Bible teachers, seminarians and any student of the Bible (i.e all Christians), this book provides a wealth of information about the historical development of the Bible.

The New International Version of the Bible (NIV) was originally published in 1973. It was updated in 1978, 1984 and then again in 2011. If you purchase the New International Version Bible from Laridian today, you will be purchasing the 2011 edition. If you purchased the NIV Bible previous to 2011, you have the 1984 edition. According to the translators of the NIV, the 2011 update reflects developments in biblical scholarship and changes in English usage yet 95% of the text from the 1984 edition has remained the same.

The PocketBible version of the NIV includes two options (or files) – one with cross-references and one without. If you purchase the 2011 version, the two files will be labeled as follows in your download account:

New International Version (NIV Cross Reference Edition)

New International Version (NIV)

Note that the cross-reference edition lists a larger file size than the second or non-cross-reference edition. If you also owned the 1984 edition of the NIV, you can continue to use it even if you purchase the 2011 edition. You will see the 1984 edition in your download list as:

New International Version (1984 NIV)

New International Version (1984 NIV)

Again, look at the file size to distinguish between the cross-reference and non cross-reference edition – the larger file contains cross-references.

If you are not interested in cross-references, install the edition without cross-references. If you like to use cross-references, install only the cross-reference edition. If you ever want to view the Bible text without the cross-reference indicators (also known as footnotes), you can turn those off temporarily in the settings of PocketBible.

If you install both the NIV 1984 and NIV 2011 editions (either cross-reference or not), when you go to open the Bibles – the 1984 Edition is the one that is titled The Holy Bible: New International Version. The 2011 edition is entitled simply as the New International Version. If you open both versions, they each use the NIV abbreviation so it is better to open only one at a time.

Why should you take the time to learn more about the culture and land of the biblical world? The answer is simple: doing so will revolutionize what you see when reading your Bible. The Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, now available for PocketBible, offers a fascinating and inspiring portal to the biblical world.

As the Holy Spirit led the inspired authors of the Bible to write, He also led them to fill the pages of the Bible with vibrant images drawn from the culture, natural history, and landscape around them. Using such vivid imagery as looms, donkeys, water cisterns, grapes, sackcloth, and shepherds makes what they say both more beautiful and more memorable. These images stimulate our imagination, animate our interest, and make the abstract clearer.

Today we live in a world of smartphones, grocery stores and airplanes, and these illustrations are unlikely to relate to our everyday life. As students of the Bible, we need someone to explain both the meaning and significance of the imagery found in the biblical text which is exactly what the Zondervan Dictionary of Biblical Imagery does.

Entries explain images that correspond to a cultural artifact from the biblical world (such as arrow or sandal), a component of natural history (such as fox or fig tree), a named place (such as Mount Sinai or Nazareth), or a component of the Promised Land’s physical geography (such as mountain or wilderness). Each entry contains a description of the element or image, examples of how the image is used in the biblical text, and appropriate black and white photographs and maps that further illustrate the ideas presented.

Halley’s Bible Handbook is a world-renowned Bible handbook that has been treasured by generations of Bible readers for its clarity, insight, and usefulness. The 25th edition of this classic title is now available for use with PocketBible.

Halley’s Bible Handbook makes the Bible’s wisdom and message accessible. Whether you are new to the Bible or have read it many times, you will find insights that can give you a firm grasp of God’s Word. It will help you develop an appreciation for the cultural, religious, and geographic settings in which the story of the Bible unfolds. You will see how its different themes fit together in a remarkable way. And you will see the heart of God and the person of Jesus Christ revealed from Genesis to Revelation.

In addition to its section by section commentary, the PocketBible edition of this handbook includes the full color pictures, maps and charts.

The handbook was born out of Henry H. Halley’s conviction that everyone ought to be a devoted reader of the Bible. His interesting story (links to PDF) is a testimony to a man who lived his beliefs.

Halley’s Bible Handbook sells for $19.99 and can be used with PocketBible for iOS, Android, Windows PC and Windows Mobile. It is also available for use with MyBible for Palm OS.

We have released the NEW Matthew Henry Commentary for use with PocketBible and MyBible. This updated and edited version of Matthew Henry’s classic commentary retains the beauty and reliability of the original while making it easier to for today’s reader to enjoy and understand. The updated commentary is still based on the King James Version text and sells for $23.99.

The commentary was updated by Martin Manser (also author of the Dictionary of Bible Themes). He offers some insight into the challenge and decisions he had to make in updating the text in this article (links to PDF file).

A few months back, we released the New Testament volumes of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary from Zondervan for use with PocketBible and MyBible. The Old Testament Volumes of this commentary set are now available as well. You can purchase New Testament ($79.99), Old Testament ($99.99) or a money-saving bundle of both ($129.99).

Features of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary include:

ECPA Gold Medallion Award Winner

Based on the New International Version text

This is the unabridged edition of the commentary that was originally published in 12 volumes (covers every book of the Bible plus introductory articles).

78 contributors from various countries and Christian faith traditions

Includes introduction, outline, bibliography and expository comments for every book of the Bible

The chief principle of interpretation: grammatico-historical, which is to make clear the meaning of the text at the time and in the circumstancese of its writing.

If you are using the New Testament Volumes in PocketBible or own these titles in print, please share what you think of them in the comments.

Christian Spirituality. Spiritual Formation. Spiritual Theology. All have become important concepts in the global evangelical community. The Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, now available for PocketBible and MyBible, is an accessible and reliable academic resource for information on the full range of Christian traditions of spirituality. It is also attentive to otherwise neglected topics, concerns, and formative figures in the evangelical tradition of spirituality.

Part One of the dictionary gives you 34 “integrative perspective” essays that provide insight into the major themes of Christian spirituality. Part Two of the dictionary provides nearly seven hundred shorter length articles on historical Christian movements, biographical profiles, and other concepts and topics pertinent to the study of Christian spirituality. The articles offer a discerning orientation to the wealth of ecumenical resources available, exploring the similarities and differences between Christianity and alternate spiritualties. All in all a singular reference filled with informative, interesting articles on Christian spirituality that you won’t find elsewhere.

The Dictionary of Christian Spirituality sells for $31.99 and can be used with PocketBible for iOS, Android, Windows PC and Windows Mobile. It is also available for use with MyBible for Palm OS.

The Zondervan KJV Commentary is based on the best-selling Zondervan KJV Study Bible. Study notes have been expanded by a group of conservative, evangelical scholars from a wide range of denominations to encompass the two volumes of commentary. Includes verse-by-verse exposition that is based on the King James Version text.

Also available for use with PocketBible and MyBible is the NIV Bible Study Commentary from Zondervan. This is a one-volume commentary designed to be a companion to your reading of the New International Version (NIV) Bible. It is more of a quick reference resource rather than an in-depth study tool. Valuable when you want to get an overview rather than diving deep into a passage.